Farmall Oil question

What can be done to operating farmall tractors to clean out all the internal ports, canals, holes and anything else that oil passes through? That after running for awhile, could be drained out with the oil and have a clean engine for new oil...something to "De-sledge" the engine oil...not just swap out old oil with new...

There aren't a lot of places to collect sludge, not like a V8, pull the valve cover and check should be a good indicator of the rest of the engine. Alot of sludge comes from never getting the temp. up usually tractors were used long and hard so most muck is "melted" down into crankcase. Don't recommend this but we have used diesel in the crankcase, taken off external lines and turned the tractor over with a belt until diesel slopped everywhere, drain it, put in good diesel oil or IH Low Ash oil and changed filters daily for 25? hours, then went back to regular maintenance.

I'm not a real big fan of additives to cure problems. That said . . . if it's just crud . . . I don't mind usin' them to dress things out.

If you're confident that your motor has been run and maintained reasonably and are just looking to clean out residual stuff . . . I don't mind at all usin' Seafoam.

I used it in a motor that was left out to the weather to get stuck with less than 500 hours after a good rebuild. Really not much sludge had any chance to accumulate. Bottom of the motor was good. Crank and all bearings were good and not wet, but I had to do new sleeves and pistons, and have the head redone. First change at five hours with straight 30W detergent was dark gold. Next change 25 hours later with Seafoam in fuel and crankcase had a good deal more black in it, but I could still see gold through it as it drained. Next change, another 25 hours with Seafoam in the crankcase only, I probably could have skipped, but I never object to changin' oil.

Detergent vs non-detergent 30W won't gain you a thing. Detergent oil has to do with it's ability to suspend stuff that breaks loose, not with actually dissolving or breaking it loose. That's what the additives do.

Before using something like Seafoam, or STP or anything else you might settle on, I'd STRONGLY suggest you pull your valve cover and brush down everything with diesel or kerosene to get rid of any sludge you can. Then drain your pan, drop it and get all the sludge out of there, too. That'll leave you with just the residual sludge in the galleries of the timing case, crankcase and crank, and the Seafoam won't break loose anything that your oil filter can't handle.

BUT it is a SOLVENT, with minor but acceptable lubricative properties when used as directed. I wouldn't recommend using it, especially in the crankcase oil, beyond a couple of oil changes.

If there's that much crud you should consider tearin' her down and hot-tankin' her.

Hope I've helped.

"back to regular maintenance", like after any cleanup or use of additives to help the cleanup.

That's the part I'm not sure I made clear in my post.

Good point!

Diesel or Heavy duty engine oil such as Rotella will loosen crud and clean. I know from a Tempo that had so much crap in it that the pick up screen plugged after changing oil ---no oil pressure.
That is why Rotella will tell you to stay with straight 30 w so not to cause seal leaks and such.We own a 52 W4,52 W6, 52 Super W6and a 53 Super WD6 that run Rotella with NO problems.Personaly,I say no mystery oils just change oil more often for a while till the black is gone

You know if you clean it out too good, it might start smoking or rattling or lose oil pressure.